My voice broke on the last word. Would he finally believe me? He never had before. The Alpha King called me a spy, accused me of scheming to trap him into fatherhood. He even said I had slept with his brother John. Those accusations haunted me for five years.
"I never had anything with your brother John or any other man in my entire life besides you," I said, wiping my tears away with the back of my hand. "I hope one day you will believe me when I say I am not that kind of woman."
My eyes burned red from crying. The tears kept flowing no matter how hard I tried to stop them. I sniffled and looked away from him. I had not wanted to talk to him at all, but then he spoke to me kindly in this healing ward. He asked me to become a family with him and our son Cody.
That simple request brought all the pain rushing back into my heart. He betrayed me, hurt me, refused to believe a single word I said. He took away my right to be a mother to Cody for five long years. He trampled on everything I was and destroyed me completely.
"Please, Aurora, do not sob like this," Jack said quietly. His deep voice held genuine remorse. "You will make me feel even more guilty than I already do. I believe everything you tried to tell me in the past. I know now that our one night together was not planned or premeditated. I know you never had affairs with John. I know you are one decent, sweet woman. I believe you now. I believe everything."
I raised my head slowly and glared at him through my tears. The Alpha King of the Northern Territory looked back at me with those dark, intense eyes. A ray of relief passed through me when he nodded. He actually believed me now. After all these years, he finally believed me.
Before he could say anything else, the door to the healing ward burst open. Richard and John walked in together, talking and laughing about something. Their voices echoed across the quiet room.
"She is my girlfriend," Richard announced proudly to John.
"She is beautiful," John agreed, grinning widely. "I admire her. You are a lucky wolf."
The two friends stopped their conversation abruptly when they noticed Jack sitting beside my bed. John walked over immediately and planted a featherlight kiss on my temple. His wolf was always gentler and kinder than his brother's dominant one.
"I hope Aurora has agreed to be your mate and girlfriend," John said, looking between us with obvious hope. "You both are absolutely meant for each other."
"She said no," Jack stated flatly, his dark eyes still fixed on me.
My face heated up. He actually told his brother about proposing to me? I felt embarrassed and caught off guard.
"Oh come on, Aurora," John said, taking my hand gently and kissing it. "Jack already had a crush on you before this whole shooting incident even happened. He has been watching you for years."
I smiled weakly despite everything. My heart felt too heavy for real happiness. "He is not my kind of man."
John actually stepped back in surprise, his eyes going wide. Richard made a choking sound beside him. I could see the shock on both their faces. The Alpha King Jack Hudson, who had dozens of she wolves throwing themselves at him every single day? The most powerful wolf in the entire Northern Territory, wealthy beyond any measure, devastatingly handsome with those sharp features and strong build? Decent, loving, and kindhearted when he wanted to be? What other qualities could any woman possibly want that Jack did not have? I might be the first and only woman in the kingdom who would ever say he was not my type.
"Just tell me what kind of man you want," Jack said quietly, leaning forward. "I will become that man for you. Whatever it takes."
Something inside me snapped. All the anger I had been holding back for five years came pouring out at once.
"You can never be that man," I said sharply, my voice cutting through the room. "You are evil and terrible. You have no respect for women at all. Besides, I hate you like I would hate the devil himself."
The silence that followed my words felt suffocating. Nobody moved. Nobody breathed. I watched Jack's face go completely blank and emotionless. He bowed his head and stared down at his hands, studying his fingers as if they held answers to questions he could not ask. His powerful wolf retreated so far back I could not sense it at all anymore.
John stood frozen, staring at his brother. All the humor and lightness had drained completely from his expression. I knew my words wounded Jack deeply, probably more than any physical injury ever could. Richard shook his head at me slowly in warning. I understood I had ruined the entire day for the Alpha King, but I could not take the words back. I did not want to take them back.
"Aria," Richard said softly, almost pleading.
"Good morning, Richard," I said, deliberately changing the subject. "I feel sleepy now. Can I have my privacy please?"
Jack stood up immediately. He knew exactly what I meant. Privacy from him. He handed me my phone without saying a single word, his face still blank and unreadable. He turned to leave.
Before any of them could exit the room, angry voices erupted outside my door. A woman was shouting loudly enough for everyone in the entire healing ward to hear her clearly.
"I must see her right now! You cannot stop me from seeing my own daughter! Let go of me this instant!"
I recognized that sharp, demanding voice instantly. Emily Bluey. My stepmother. Was she here to drag me to that horrible forced mating ceremony with the eldest son from that criminal pack family? Was it already Friday? Had I lost track of the days?
"Aurora, do you know who that woman is?" John asked, his wolf immediately rising to alert status. His protective instincts kicked in.
"Today I will take my daughter away and heal her at home! Let me into this room immediately!"
I nodded once, my jaw clenching. "My stepmother."
John glanced quickly at Richard, then at Jack. The Alpha King just shrugged, his expression still unreadable after my harsh words. John walked to the door and opened it cautiously. Nonna rushed in first, her face twisted in fury. Emily followed right behind her with that superior attitude she always carried.
"This crazy woman of yours is here again, Aurora," Nonna muttered darkly to me.
"We still have not found a cure for her madness yet," I replied through gritted teeth. My anger at Emily mixed with the emotional exhaustion from confronting Jack.
Emily swept into the room like she owned the entire healing center. Two security guards from the facility followed her inside, trying desperately to maintain some kind of order and control. The small ward space became crowded and chaotic instantly. Jack's expression darkened dangerously. I could tell he hated the disorder and noise. Thank the moon goddess Emily was only my stepmother, not my real mother. Such a terrible temper should never be inherited by my son Cody.
"Ma'am, this is a healing center," one of the security guards said firmly, moving to block her path. "We do not condone noise and disturbances here. You will have to come with us now."
Jack watched the guards handle the situation. He looked impressed by their professional approach and capability. He would probably ensure they received bonuses that month. He waved at them to wait by the door when Emily started moving aggressively toward my bed.
"No, I am here to see my daughter and I have seen her now," Emily declared loudly. The securities tried to apprehend her but Jack's gesture stopped them.
"Aurora," Emily said, her voice dripping with false motherly concern. "I know exactly what your scheme was all along. I know you deliberately shoved that rich alpha's son aside to get shot yourself. You wanted to escape your wedding ceremony to the Blackwood pack."